Love and Bad Luck

Tom Brady hasn’t won a Super Bowl since the start of his relationship with wife Gisele Bündchen, and Marko Jaric was cast out of the NFL after falling in love with wife Adriana Lima. See more top athletes whose careers faltered after a star-crossed romance.

02.07.12 9:45 AM ET

The supermodel’s husband, New England Patriot Tom Brady, hasn’t won a Super Bowl since they got together—though she was caught on tape blaming his teammates for the loss. Plus, more star-crossed athletic couples.

Timothy A. Clary, AFP / Getty Images

Tom Brady & Gisele Bundchen

The New England Patriots have played in the Super Bowl seven times, most recently defending themselves against the New York Giants last weekend. Their star quarterback and Prince Charming, Tom Brady, has been involved with much more than throwing a pigskin around during practice—just check out his 2012 Spring UGG endorsement. But the biggest item on his extracurricular list, and one that certainly takes up the most time, is his supermodel wife, Gisele Bündchen. Unfortunately for the Patriots, Tom Brady and his teammates haven’t won a Super Bowl since his union with the Victoria’s Secret veteran. Is he cursed? Perhaps, or maybe “preoccupied” is a better word. Yet this didn’t seem to be a problem when Brady was dating Bridget Moynahan during Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX, or Laura Kinsman during Super Bowl XXXVI—for all of which he was invaluable in helping the Patriots take home the winning title.

Gisele did not take the latest loss in stride. She was caught on video responding to taunts from Giants fans: “You [have] to catch the ball when you’re supposed to catch the ball. My husband cannot fucking throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time. I can’t believe they dropped the ball so many times.”

Tony Gutierrez / AP Photo

Tony Romo & Jessica Simpson

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo started dating singer and famed “Chicken of the Sea” Jessica Simpson in November of 2007. A month later, Simpson attended a Cowboys–Philadelphia Eagles game in which Romo had a terrible performance,with Dallas losing to the Eagles. Pictures of Simpson partying with Romo and a few of his teammates in Cabo San Lucas surfaced on the Internet and promoted further controversy around the idea that the former Newlyweds star might be cursing his game.

Charley Gallay / Getty Images

Jay Cutler & Kristin Cavallari

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler’s on-and-off relationship with reality star Kristin Cavallari has now gotten serious. Not only are the two engaged (for the second time), they are expecting a child. Directly after his reengagement to the Laguna Beach and The Hills star, Cutler broke his thumb and was out for the season. And even before his injury, Cutler was getting booed by fans. Is any of this bullying Cavallari-induced?

Carl Pavano, Barry Zito, Brad Penny & Alyssa Milano

Actress Alyssa Milano is well known for her preference for baseball-pitching boyfriends. Milano dated pitcher Carl Pavano in 2003, marking the start of her baseball-boyfriend trend. In 2004 she moved on to A’s pitcher Barry Zito. A year later, she was linked with then-Dodgers pitcher Brad Penny. Outside of their obvious similarities, these Major League pitchers have something else in common: their careers plummeted while dating Milano, according to these stats.

Getty Images; AP Photo

Matt Leinart & Paris Hilton

In 2006, heiress Paris Hilton was dating recently drafted quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals Matt Leinart. Before the draft, and before dating Hilton, Leinart was one of the top draft prospects of 2006, considered the prototypical NFL quarterback. After the breakup, and while playing for the Cardinals and the Houston Texans, his game has crashed and burned. We can barely remember that in 2004, the then football superstar won the Heisman trophy.

Getty Images; AP Photo

Mark Sanchez & Kate Upton

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has been seen leaving the home of Victoria's Secret model Kate Upton late into the night. Yet ever since they started dating, his game on the field has hit a record low, and he’s even been called “lazy” by his teammates. One player told New York’s Daily News that if given the chance, the Jets should trade Sanchez for Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts. So much for loyalty.

Matt Sayles / AP Photo

Marko Jaric & Adriana Lima

Professional basketball player Marko Jaric married Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima in 2009, cementing the couple’s singular name “Markodrina.” Before the pair wed, Jaric was the only player ever to win back-to-back Italian League Championships on two different teams. But in 2009, the same year he married Lima, Jaric was told not to attend training camp or any of the preseason games. He was then granted permission to seek out a new team and contract. He has most recently signed with the Montepaschi Siena, an Italian League basketball club from Siena. It’s safe to say any future interaction with the NBA is … out of reach.

Sarah Kerver, WireImage / Getty Images

Andy Roddick & Brooklyn Decker

U.S. Open tennis champion Andy Roddick married Brooklyn Decker in 2009, and has since been far less involved in the racket-swinging scene. Since his nuptials, Roddick was pushed aside by the likes of Roger Federer, who outlasted him in the 2009 Wimbledon tourney. Roddick is now ranked 19th in the world, according to ESPN. We can’t help but wonder if his tennis game would have been better if he’d stayed with singer Mandy Moore, whom he dated in 2006.

Lionel Cironneau / AP Photo

Marion Jones & Tim Montgomery

Months after former world champion track-and-field athlete Marion Jones gave birth to her son with fellow runner Tim Montgomery, the baby’s daddy was charged with taking THG, a banned steroid. Then, in 2007, Jones pleaded guilty to using performance-enhancing steroids, and had to relinquish the five medals she won in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It’s hard to say who was rubbing off on whom, but regardless this pair made for a toxic match.

Kevin Winter / NBCUniversal / Getty Images

Kris Humphries & Kim Kardashian

Keeping Up With the Kardashians star Kim is the exception to the sporting curse. Every athlete Kim has dated in recent history has had his breakout years by her side. Take ex-husband and New Jersey Nets power forward Kris Humphries, who, while seeing Kardashian, was at 27 minutes of playing time per game, an all-time career high.